A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015
COMMENTARY
Serious reasons for cutting back on the fun and games
Reduction in space
for comics and
puzzles gives us
more space for
news about our
community
I
may be tempting fate
this week, but I am hop-
ing readers will be for-
giving and understand the
reason why.
Beginning with this
week’s paper, we are run-
ning a smaller comics sec-
tion, featuring only one
page of cartoons and puz-
for example, we had
zles instead of two.
the opportunity to
The main reason
attend the Hermiston
for the change is to
Chamber of Com-
utilize more of our
merce luncheon and
available space each
hear from about 70
week for local and
business and civic
community
news
leaders in our com-
coverage and less to Gary
munity on some of
running syndicated L. West
their opinions about
comics and puzzles. SHADES
OF GRAY
the Herald’s news
This
change
coverage and its val-
should roughly give
us about one more page ue to them as a marketing
each week to utilize for vehicle for their businesses
stories, photos and listings through advertisements in
for news, events and activ- the paper.
So far, we haven’t had
ities in our community.
2YHU WKH ODVW VHYHUDO anyone tell us that the rea-
months we have spent con- son they subscribe to the
siderable time asking read- Hermiston Herald is be-
ers what they like about cause of our lineup on the
the Herald and what we comics pages. What people
can do better. Last week, do say they want is more
local news, more news
about good things happen-
ing in the community and
some people have even
said they want more news
from the police beat.
So we are going to use
one of the pages we used to
use for comics to give you
more information in print
each week.
We hope this change
won’t be too disruptive,
but we know people grow
accustomed to regular fea-
tures. If you are missing a
particular type of puzzle, let
us know, and we will see if
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substitute puzzle through
our other comic/puzzle ser-
vice, but keep in mind that
adding something back will
likely mean eliminating
something else, so be pre-
pared to tell us which of the
comics or puzzles you do
not read and play.
:H KRSH \RX ¿QG DG-
ditional local coverage a
better value for use and a
better use of the space.
Soon, we will be launch-
ing our advisory group to
dig even deeper into ways
we can continue to make
improvements in the Her-
ald in hopes of making it
even more valuable, inter-
esting and informative to
readers. So far, we have
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have expressed interest in
participating, but more are
welcome.
We plan to meet about
once a month to talk about
the paper, the community
and issues of interest in
our area.
If you would like to
participate in our advisory
panel, there’s still time to
sign up. Just give me a call
at 541-564-4532 or better
yet email me at gwest@
hermistonherald.com and
we’ll put you on our email
list.
Gary L. West is editor
of the Hermiston Herald
and Hermiston editor for
the East Oregonian. Reach
him at gwest@hermiston-
herald.com or follow him
on Twitter @GaryLWest
or on Facebook at www.
facebook.com/journalist.
glwest.
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pressed with the size of The
Astorian’s digital audience.
Crindalyn Lyster, our
corporate digital media di-
Editor’s note: The fol-
rector, notes that, “We are
lowing column was written
the leaders in our commu-
by Steve Forrester, editor
nity on digital. No one com-
and publisher of The Daily
petes with us in our mar-
Astorian and president and
kets.”
CEO of EO Media Group,
We forget how young
which owns the Hermiston
the Internet is. When
Herald.
Lyster started at The
Astorian, our produc-
hen I give
tion process consist-
visitors a
ed of cutting strips of
tour of The
type and pasting them
Daily Astorian, they
on to the page. Today
are fascinated with the
she is our corporate
enlarged newspaper
digital media director.
mastheads on our Steve
Based at the Chinook
walls. Their names Forrester
Observer, Lyster trav-
capture the history
of our newspaper — from els throughout our compa-
the 19th century Tri-Weekly ny. In Salem she has a staff
of three including Travis
Astorian forward.
Showing visitors our dig- Clark, Matt Neznanski and
ital world is less romantic. Debbie Evans. The editor of
It comes up when I get to the Hermiston Herald, Gary
D URRP WKDW KRXVHV RXU ¿OH West, is also part of our dig-
servers. When I succeed- ital team.
Digital speeds our pro-
ed my father 28 years ago,
that room contained a main- duction process. It also ac-
frame computer that served celerates our news cycles.
WKH QHZVSDSHU¶V ¿UVW HOHF- Digital news delivery makes
our weekly newspapers into
tronic newsroom system.
My dad’s death was only dailies, and it gives our dai-
15 years ago, but he would ly papers a 24-hour news
not recognize the digital cycle. When a national sto-
landscape in which we op- ry breaks in one of our ter-
ritories, digital allows us to
erate.
Some newspaper owners keep possession of the story.
KDYH EHHQ FRQÀLFWHG DERXW We used to rely on the As-
the digital world. Just last sociated Press to move big
week I read that a publish- stories beyond our market
er is unplugging his Internet boundaries. Today our digi-
tal sites and social media do
operations.
We have not been con- that for us.
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tors and management have HUQ 2UHJRQ ¿UHV WKH Blue
chosen a measured, incre- Mountain Eagle had a story
mental path into electronic of national interest. Through
its website and social media,
publishing.
Advertising in our print- the Eagle’s audience grew
ed products and subscrip- dramatically. The Eagle’s
tion sales remain our domi- “likes” on Facebook went
nant source of revenue. But from 3,463 to 5,335. The
digital advertising sales are WRSGD\RIWKH¿UHVWRU\ZDV
growing. The Astorian’s ad- Aug. 15, when Facebook
vertising staff recently did a posts reached 175,332 peo-
sales blitz. It had been seven SOH 'XULQJ WKH ¿UH SRVWV
years since our last big dig- averaged 43,637 people per
ital sales push. We made a day, versus 2,146 prior to
major gain in digital sales. WKH¿UHV
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tives discovered that mer- 2007 we were dabbling in
chants in our communities Facebook. Now we use it
have become more comfort- DOOWKHWLPH,WLVDELJWUDI¿F
driver.
able with the digital world.
Where are digital forc-
The sales consultant who
coached our sales staff, es leading newspaper pub-
Mike Blinder, was very im- lishing? Plenty of consul-
By STEVE FORRESTER
EO Media Group
W
EO MEDIA GROUP
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tants are prepared to take
our money to answer that
question. Every week I see
invitations to seminars and
workshops on the topic.
“Driving Digital Revenue”
is the title of a November
conference sponsored by
Inland Newspaper Associa-
tion.
Everyone is looking for
that next big thing.
I agree with Lyster who
VD\V WKLV DERXW WKH IXWXUH
“It’s anybody’s guess be-
cause digital changes every
day. It’s hard to know what
EO MEDIA GROUP
that shiny object will be that
sticks.”
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Church
Directory
p w i t h u s !
The Full Gospel
Home Church
235 SW 3rd
Phone 567-7678
Sunday: Sunday School . . . . . 10:00 am
Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:00 am
Evening Service . . . . . . 7:00 pm
Wednesday Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:00 pm
T TRAC
R A C C Center
e n t e r
Pasco
Pasco, WA
FREE PARKING
F Friday
r i d a y 1 10
0 AM —88 PM
Saturday 9 AM —6 PM
Sunday 10 AM —4 PM
Admission $ 6 | Kids 12 and under free!
CusterShows.com
509.924.0588
First United
Methodist
Church Of
Hermiston
Rev. Dr. James T. Pierce, Pastor
Open Hearts, Open minds,
Open doors
"Casting all your care upon him;
for he careth for you."
1 Pet. 5:7
191 E. Gladys Ave.
Sunday Worship at 11am
(541) 567-3002
Our Lady of Angels
Catholic Church
Grace Baptist Church
565 W. HERMISTON AVE.
F FINE ART | HAND CRAFT | SPECIALTY FOODS
700 West Orchard Avenue
P.O. Box 933
Hermiston, Oregon
541-289-4774
"come as you are"
Rev. Ed Baker - Rev. Nina Baker
OVE
VER R 150 NORTHWEST ARTISANS
Pastor J.C. Barnett
Children's Church
& Nursery Available
1255 Hwy. 395 S. • 567-5834
oasisvineyard.us
Worship 10:00 AM
November 6-7-8, 2015
20th Annual Christmas Show
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
Worship Service 10:30 AM
Sunday School 9:00 AM
Echo Community
Church
21 N Bonanza Street
Echo, OR
Phone: (541) 376-8108
Sunday School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:30 am
Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:45 am
Children’s Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:15 am
Potluck & Communion ~
First Sunday of the Month
Seventh-day
Adventist Church
s h i
W o r
Custer’s
NEW BEGINNINGS
DAILY MASS: Monday-Friday
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . English 7:00 am
THURSDAY . . . . . . . . . Spanish 6:00 pm
SATURDAY: . . . . . . . . . English 5:00 pm
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spanish 7:00 pm
SUNDAY: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . English 9:00 am
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bilingual 11:00 am
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spanish 1:00 pm
OFFICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567-5812
NEW HOPE
COMMUNITY CHURCH
1350 S. Highway 395, Hermiston
Sunday Worship Services
English- Pastor Dave Andrus
9:00 & 10:45 am
Spanish- Pastor Genaro Loredo
9:00 & 10:15 am
Classes for kids during all services
For more information call
541-567-8441
First Christian
Church
"Proclaiming the Message of
Hope, Living the Gospel of Love"
SUNDAY WORSHIP 10:30 AM
SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:30 AM
CHILDREN'S CHURCH 11:00 AM
Nursery Provided
567-3013
775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston
Nursery provided for all services

St. Johns
Episcopal Church
All People
Are Welcome
Scripture, Tradition
and Reason
Family service 9am Sunday
Gladys Ave & 7th Hermiston
Fr. Dan Lediard, Priest. PH: 567-6672
125 E. Beech Ave. • 567-3232
Pastor David Dever
Sun. Bible Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:00am
Sun. Worship Service . . . . . . . . . . 11:00am
Sun. Evening Worship . . . . . . . . . . 6:00pm
Wed. Prayer & Bible Study . . . 6:00pm
www.hermistonlmbc.com
T HE C OUNTRY C HURCH
Pastor James Becker
32742 Diagonal RD
Hermiston OR 97838
Sunday School 10 am
Worship 7 am
Evening Service 7 pm
Bible Study Wednesdays 7 pm
Firestarter Youth Ministry
(Ages 12-17)
Monday @ 6 pm
567-8241
855 W. Highland • Hermiston
LANDMARK BAPTIST
CHURCH
555 SW 11th, Hermiston
567-9497
Sunday School - 9:30 AM
Worship - 10:45 AM
6:00 pm
Wed Prayer & Worship - 7:00 PM
“Proclaiming God’s word,
growing in God’s grace”
Saturdays
Sabbath School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:30 a.m.
Worship Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:00 a.m.
Sunday AM Service 10:30
Sunday PM Service 3:30
To share your
worship times
call
Amanda Jacobs
541-278-2683